The Electoral College’s Dirty History (Encore)
Making Contact · The Electoral College’s Dirty History (Encore) Given the Trump Election and the difference between popular votes and Electoral votes, we explore the Electoral College. Who are the electors, anyway? And will the United States ever join the rest of the world, and adopt a popular vote for president? Yale University Law & Political Science Professor Akhil Reed Amar says the Electoral College discourages...
Election 2020 Special: More Than a Vote
Making Contact · Election 2020 Special: More Than a Vote Image Credit: Verónica Zaragovia Voting in one of the most momentous presidential elections in the nation’s history is over. The morning after polls closed nearly 136 million ballots had been counted. But as had been reported for weeks ahead of the election, there is no clear winner, and the tally of absentee ballots continues. In this election special, we go to Arizona,...
Fighting for the Ballot: Race and Voter Suppression in the 2020 Election
Making Contact · Fighting for the Ballot: Race and Voter Suppression in the 2020 November’s upcoming election has already become one of the most contested elections in US history, with the president questioning the validity of mail-in ballots, “unofficial” ballot drop off boxes popping up in California, and the threat of armed militias patrolling the polls. But, voter suppression and its target’s aren’t new phenomena. People of...
Self Care as Selfless Act: Mental Health at the Root of Activism (Encore)
Making Contact · Self Care as Selfless Act: Mental Health at the Root of Activism Activists in the Latinx immigrant community of Los Angeles share what they do to take care of their mental health. The issues these activists work on often impact their personal lives, and people who work in the service of others are particularly at risk of burnout and compassion fatigue. Self-care becomes a “selfless act” when it allows activists...
Unblock the Vote 2020
Making Contact · Unblock the Vote 2020 This week we’ll explore felon disenfranchisement and the political battle to restore the voting rights of over 6 million people not eligible to vote because of laws that restrict people convicted of felonies from voting. We’ll meet criminal justice activists in California pushing to restore the rights of 50,000 individuals on parole, through the advocacy of a ballot measure in...
70 Million: Voting from Jail is a Right, and Now a Reality in Chicago
Making Contact · 70 Million: Voting from Jail is a Right, and Now a Reality in Chicago Today, in the lead up to the next general election, many Americans in custody still cannot vote. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, of the almost 740,000 people in jail, about two-thirds are awaiting court action on a charge. In other words, nearly 500,000 of them may be eligible to vote. A year ago, Illinois passed a law requiring all...
